Rail Tours Enjoy Upswing, as Travelers Seek New Experiences

With airfare and hotel rates prohibitively high, a growing number of vacationers are turning to rail travel in the U.S. and Europe for a change of pace.

Rail journeys “tie into the whole notion of slowing down the travel experience,” said Todd Powell, president of Vacations by Rail in Chicago. “It becomes an experience of enjoying the journey, as much as the destinations themselves.”

Travelers who want to “experience the journey,” more than train lovers, are the prime market for rail vacations, he said.

New in North America
Rail tour products being offered for the first time in North America this year look to put a new twist on travel to Alaska and national parks.

Vacations by Rail is offering five new Alaska train vacations in 2013, ranging from six to 10 days each and departing daily.

“We’re seeing some more demand for our Alaska programs and for combined rail and cruise product,” said Powell.

“We’ve also looked at ways to incorporate the national parks in a way that’s more personal for our passengers,” he said.

For cruise passengers
Rocky Mountaineer, a leading luxury rail vacation company in North America, has launched a new journey that crosses the U.S.-Canada border, taking guests from Seattle to Vancouver.

The U.S. portion of the trip represents a first for the British Columbia-based company. “We’re going to be coming into the U.S. for the first time ever,” said Karen Wiseman, director of sales.

“The idea behind it is connecting with the cruise market. Forty-seven percent of our Gold Leaf [loyalty program] guests travel on a cruise before or after their rail journey,” she said.

The new cross-border itinerary, the culmination of years of work, is an attempt to sell more pre- and post-cruise packages, Wiseman said.

Europe trends
Vacations by Rail is seeing an increase in popularity of rail journeys for Europe-bound travelers, according to Powell.

“We’re seeing a pick-up in independent European product and more people traveling to Europe, which has been a bit slow over the past few years,” said Powell.

Europe also presents an opportunity for pre- and post-cruise rail vacations, he said. “Regional packages that have rail connections are great for pre- and post-cruise; once you’re there, to extend the trip is not much of a challenge.”

Reaching first-timers
In working to tap into the pre- and post-cruise market in the U.S., Rocky Mountaineer hopes to show the appeal of rail vacations to first-timers – not just rail enthusiasts.

“U.S. agents have not made that connection,” said Wiseman. “We’re working with our tour trade partners and encouraging them to think about the combination.”

What about cost?
Powell said that while rail is often considered a more costly form of travel, in reality its price is on par with other experiences.

“There’s a misconception that rail is an expensive way to travel but, when you start comparing the price of airfare and sleeping accommodations to rail, it’s not,” Powell said.
 
Sales supports for agents
A lack of consumer promotion, as well as the relaxed pace of rail travel, can make it a difficult sell for travel agents.

Rocky Mountaineer offers a six-module online training program to educate agents on the rail market and the company’s new products.

“Awareness isn’t high enough. Rail is not something that has historically been promoted as well as it should have been,” said Wiseman.

“We’ve launched a new online training program, because it’s needed until you make rail a core of your business.”

Itineraries are key
Powell urged agents to work with operators to develop custom rail itineraries for clients.

“If they are not an expert in rail travel, agents should partner up with someone who is,” said Powell.

“Having a well-planned itinerary is critical to overall client satisfaction.”